The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-18
WOODS DIVISION
lis Gallant Assault Upon Missionary
Ridge.
BY GEN. AoumA WILEY, WOOSTER, o.

]
OF those divisions will feel any interest The
/ spirit which prompts the soldier 10 guard with
Jealous care the fame of his corps achievements
! If not commendahle. Is at least excusable. But
the general public, and especially the military
student may feel an interest in tracing aocu-
rately the various steps in the progress of this
picturesque and rather phenomenal battle. 1T
is chiefly the latter consideration that induces
| the writing Of this article.
Both these divisions were in the Fourth
Corps commanded by Gen. Gordon Granger
In a very interesting and graphic article re-
Gently published by Gen. Fullerton, Assistant
Adjutant-General and Chief Of Staff TO Gen.
Granger, on the operations OF the army around
Chattanooga in describing the assault upon the
ridge, occurs this passage:
At six different points aud almost simultaneously
Sheiidnn's and Woods Divisions broke over the
crest-sheridan's tirst, near hragg's headquarters
aud in few minutes Sheridan MAS beside the guns
that had been fired At him and claiming them as
captures OF his division.
AT first blush this would seem to come with
a quasi authority decisive of the question as 10
which division FIRST crowned the ridge Gen.
Fullerton does not tell us upon what authority
he predicates this statement i propose 10 ex-
anime a little into the weight 20 which IL is
entitled as evidence on this subject. As he
does not state the authority upon which IL rs
made, ] will mention few authorities upon
which it is not founded.
1t is not founded upon the report OF Gen.
Thomas, who commanded the Army OF the
Cumberland, Of which the Fourth Corps formed
part. Gen. ThomSs's report says:
The enemy, seized with panic, abandoned the
works at the foot Of the hill and retreated prccpl
lately 10 the crest where they were closely fol-
lowed by our troops who. apparently inspired 10y
the impulse OF victory, carried the hill slmultane-
ously at six different points. and so closely upon
the heels Of the enemy that many Of them were
taken prisoners in the trenches
1t will be observed that Gen. Thomas does
not ATTEMPT 10 decide the question Of priority.
He does not even state whether the troops that
carried the ridge at the six points simultane-
ously belonged 10 one or both divisions. IL
will be borne in mind that Gen Thomas wit
messed this operation from Orchard Knob,
which Is more than a mile distant from the
nearest point at which Wood crossed the ridge,
and moro than mile aud half from the point
at which the FIRST Of Sheridan's Division crossed
10.
II is not based on the report Of Gen. Gran
ger his report says:
The ridge was taken afier hard struggle, and
those who looked ON from below were unable TO
tell which division or what regiment first reached
its summit for along my whole line many regi-
ments appeared 10 dash over the breastwoiks at
the same moment
1t is not founded on the report Of Gen. Sheri-
dan. In Sheridan's report occurs this sentence:
The right and right center reached the summit
first being the crest, and crossed II TO the
right Of Gen. Bragg's headquarters.
II is perfectly clear that Sheridan was re-
porting simply the operations of his own divis-
ion, and in the above sentence is speaking of
the relative time at which the different parts
of his own division reached the summit There
is not, nor can there be- any controversy but
that his report is correct; that his right and
! right center did reach the summit before his
l.fs l.rt hat hrr flan
| final order TO carry the ridge the right and
right center were nearer the crest than the left
| and left center, for the latter had been retired
TO the line of rine-pits at the foot OF the ridge,
while the former had not. His report passed
through the hands of Gems. Granger and
Thomas and it is apparent that they so under
stood it. In fact, il is susceptible Of no other
construction.
If Gen. Granger's report is correct that IL
could not be determined "by those who looked
oaH6up U5 freuibRdtan ubdl ufs own personal
! knowledge for according 10 his own published
article he " looked on from below"
will now examine the testimony Of som Q
witnesses who looked on from above. j will
take the official reports of Gen. Bragg and
Gen. Bate on the Confederate side. To make
the latter reports intelligibe to the general
reader, il is necessary TO make a statement of
some facts about which there is no controversy.
The general direction Of Mission Ridge is
north and south. On The summit of the ridge
was house called the Thurman House, which
was known as Gen. Bragg's headquarters
About 100 yards north of the Thurman House
a road from CHATTANOOGA called the Crutchfeld
road, crossed the ridge: about three quarters of
a mile north Of the Thurman House another
road crossed the ridge, known as tas south
branch OF the Shallow Ford road. Gen. Bate
! had two brigades in line on the right or north
of the Thurman House, his left resting on the
/ Crutcb6eld road. On the right Of Bates Di-
vision was the Division Of Patton Anderson,
which extended across the south branch of the
/ Shallow Ford road. On the left Of Bate was
Stewards Division, its right resting on the
Crutch6eld road. On an eninence near Bates
right was slOcum's battery, Of Bates Divis-
| ion.
During the assault upon the ridge, Gen.
! Bragg not at his headquarters His posi-
tion was about 400 or 500 yards north of the
Thurman House. This would place him near
the center OF Bates Division. The authority
Tor this last statement is published letter of
lsham q. Harris, Ex-Governor of Tennessee
then serving on Gen. Bragg's staff. IN front of
and TO the north OF the Thurman House, the dis
tance from the crest Of the ridge TO the rife
pits at its base is from 600 to 500 yards
Woods Division comprised the brigades of
Sam Beatty, Which and Hazen, posted in the
order named from left 10 right, and each formed
/ al tNO lAhios y lJlNlSlOD Oh the right
of Wood, comprised the brigades Of Wagner
Harker and sherman. They were posted in
the order named from left to right aud formed
similarly TO Woods. Sheridan says Bragg's
headquarters were in front Of the center of his
| division. i do not know the exact strength of
each division, but ii was between six and seven
thousand.
Gen. Granger, in his official report, estimates
the length Of the line of the two divisions at
one mile, but subsequent measurements think
show it 10 have been about one mile and half
| In the first advance Wagner's Brigade with the
rest Of Sheridan's Division crossed the rife
pits at the foot Of the ridge and advanced about
200 yards mp the face of il, when Gen. Wagner
was informed by Capt. Ransom of Sheridan's
staff that the order was merely TO take the
works at the foot OF the ridge. Thereupon
! Wagner retired his brigade 10 the works at the
foot Of the hill, and at the same time the left
demi-brigade Of Harker retired with It, The
language Of Gen. Sheridsn's report on this
subject is:
About this time Capt. Ransom, who had been
dispatched 10 Gen. Granger heretofore mem
/ toned reached the Jeff of my division and In.
| 10 be carried. Wagner withdrew his 10 that
| line with severe loss. One OF HarlSer's demi-
| brigades was also retired 30 the rifie-pits .
In the meantime the right and right center were
approaching the partial line Of pits led by ~ sets
! of regimentAl colors. One would be advanced a
few feet. then another would come up 20 a. each
vieing with the other 10 e foremost until the entire
II were planted ON the crest of the partial line of
pits by their gallant bearers. Capt. Avery Of Gen
Changers staff, here came up and informed me
that the original order 30 carry the first line of
pits but that II Ia my judgment the ridge could be
| taken, 10 DO 30. My judgment was that ID could